


It's Christmas Time

by flyingorfalling



Series: Where The Green Grass Grows [4]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Christmas Eve, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Parent Pepper Potts, Parent Tony Stark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-26
Updated: 2018-12-31
Packaged: 2019-09-27 08:12:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17158430
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flyingorfalling/pseuds/flyingorfalling
Summary: Christmas in the Potts-Stark household is full of surprises.





	1. Santa Is Real

Pepper stood in the living room and looked out through the glass patio door. It had been heavily snowing for days on end. All airports were closed down for safety reasons and they were stuck out here, in upstate New York, in their own little Winter Wonderland. Not that they cared, though. They hadn’t made any plans to be anywhere else anyway.

She had lived in California for so long that she had almost forgotten what a white Christmas felt like, but watching her daughter play in the snow, as she built a snowman with her father, reminded Pepper of all those snowy Christmases she’d spent in Brooklyn with her family. She missed her mom—she was stuck somewhere in Europe—but she was happy to have the two most important people in her life with her.

Pepper pulled a woolen jumper over her head and down her body to get comfortably warm. She let her hair fall naturally around her shoulders, and a smile curved her mouth as she cupped her very round, very pregnant belly. Eight months, one more to go. She really couldn’t wait anymore to meet the small being that was residing inside her womb. At least she knew if the baby was a boy or girl. Unlike Tony, who was still completely unaware of what they were expecting. He had insisted she keep it a secret.

She put on her boots and gloves, wrapped her scarf around her face, then grabbed her favorite winter coat. Bracing herself against the cold, she stepped outside, closing the door behind her. Wind swept the porch, its bite as sharp as needles. Shivering, Pepper pulled her scarf tighter around her neck and tucked it under the collar of her coat. She was feeling tired, exhausted, and she felt as fat as a cow elephant. But just seeing Tony‘s warm smile, as he noticed her, made all of that go away. She was so happy.

“Morgan, look! Mommy came out to play,” he said, twisting a jumbo-size snowball in his hand.

“If you throw that, it means war,” Pepper issued a warning, grinning at him.

“Honey, you can’t even bend down low enough to pick up snow,” Tony quipped, giggling, “You’re too—“

“Fat?”

“Pregnant.”

He smirked and threw the snowball; she gave a yelp as it landed in the center of her chest. Face alight with laughter, Tony hurried towards her and embraced her in a hug, making it impossible for Pepper to counter-attack. Her parents’ banter made Morgan giggle. She started running to them and hugged both their legs.

“You’re not fat,” Tony mumbled into Pepper’s hair. He brushed his lips across her temple and kissed her there. “You’re beautiful.” Feeling Morgan’s touch, he added, “Doesn’t your mama look beautiful, Morgie?”

“Mommy is the prettiest woman in the world,” Morgan said, and Tony chuckled softly.

“That she is,” he concurred, as he pulled back to look at Pepper. “Our daughter is such a smart girl.”

“Our daughter needs to go to bed soon,” Pepper said, grinning.

“No,” Morgan protested.

“Yes, honey, you do.” Pepper ran a hand over her daughter’s head. “I made dinner. We eat, then you can watch a movie, and after that, it’s bedtime for you.”

“But we didn’t have baby time yet,” Morgan cried out.

"We’re going to have that tomorrow after you unwrapped your presents.” Pepper held out her hand, waiting for Morgan to take it. “And we will have extra long baby time then, okay, sweetie?”

“It’s a promise,” Tony chimed in.

“Okay,” Morgan said with a sigh, grabbing her mother by the hand.

Pepper smiled when Tony took her other hand and squeezed it gently, smiling back at her. “Am I gonna get my baby time tonight?” he asked. It made her chuckle. “Am I?”

Looking at her with puppy eyes, he pursed his lips, as though he would pout if she denied him what he was asking for. She nodded, and it made sitting through dinner, and Morgan’s movie, extremely hard for him. Tony could hardly sit still. He felt restless, antsy—to the point that even his daughter noticed it, except she thought her father was like that because he couldn’t wait for Santa to come to their home.

Two hours later, when they were putting their little girl to bed, she looked at her father and said, “Daddy, you need to sleep.”

“I do?”

“Yes,” Morgan answered. “If you don’t go to sleep, Santa is not coming. You told me. And I see you are really excited, so if you sleep, tomorrow will come sooner.”

Tony laughed out loud, glancing at Pepper, who had squatted down at the other side of Morgan’s bed. He looked back at his child, stroking her head as he told her, “That’s absolutely right, baby.” Kissing Morgan’s forehead, he smiled.

“Santa is real, right, daddy? I don’t know… I want him to be real.”

Pulling back, Tony frowned at her. “Who said he isn’t?”

“Griffin.”

“Who’s Griffin?”

“A boy she met at soccer practice,” Pepper filled him in, smirking when she saw his features change, that shocked look on his face.

“She’s dating boys already?” he let out. “She’s four, Pepper... _Four_! She can’t date boys yet. Are you kidding me?”

“Honey… please calm down! No one said anything about dating. Griffin’s just a friend,” Pepper assured him, laughing.

“Well, if he’s saying Santa isn’t real, then he’s a very bad friend.” Tony argued, eyes on his daughter. “Listen to me, kid... Just because you have never seen him doesn’t mean Santa isn’t real. You trust me, don’t you?” She nodded. “And I’m telling you, he exists. And he will be here in a few hours and eat all the cookies you and Mama baked, and drink that milk from your favorite dairy cow—“

“Mooana.”

“That’s right. Mooana,” Tony said, smiling. “And he’ll leave your Christmas presents right under that big fir tree you and me picked out, and he’s going to come back to our farm next year and the year after that, and the one after that… As long as you keep being a good girl. And you’re so darn cute, you could never be bad.” He chuckled. “You understand?”

“I understand,” Morgan said quietly. “Are you angry with me, daddy?”

“No, baby. Why would I be?”

“Because I listened to—“

“I’m not angry,” Tony said, combing his fingers through her hair, a smile still on his lips. “A friend... someone you trust... made you doubt something you have always believed in. And I know what it’s like wanting to keep believing but having the world make it hard for you, and that’s okay. I get it.” He caressed her cheek with his thumb. “I want you to know that you can always come to me if you have any doubts about anything. I’m here for you. Whatever it is, you can talk to me, alright? Don’t feel ashamed. Just talk to me.... ask me. I’ll never get angry or make fun of you. No matter how stupid you think it is.”

He had to fight back tears, thinking of how confusing the world had to be for a sweet, innocent child like his daughter, and feeling like he could never protect her from the scary reality of it all. And as if she could see him struggling with his emotions, Morgan wrapped her arms around Tony’s neck and pulled him into a hug. He started crying silently into her pillow, his emotions getting the better of him.

“I love you so much, daddy,” her soft voice sailed through the air to his ears, making Tony cry even more. He was crying tears of joy now. He couldn’t believe how lucky he was to have her. Being a father was his favorite thing in the world.

“And I love you back,” he whispered against Morgan’s cheek, kissing it. “I love you so, so much, my sweet little child. More than you’ll ever know.” Tony could hear Pepper’s soft sobs. He knew them as tears of happiness so he purposely did not rush to shush them away, instead just smiled, as he moved to be able to look at her.

Morgan turned her head when she saw her father look at her mother. “Mommy?"

“Yes, sweetie?”

“I love you too... very much... like daddy.” She opened her arms and Pepper fell into them, hugging her child close to her chest.

“And I love _you_ , baby girl,” she said. “I love you more than anything else in the whole wide world.”

Morgan smiled and gave both her parents a kiss on the lips, then let Tony tuck her in. “Goodnight,” she said softly.

“Goodnight, kiddo. Sweet dreams,” Tony replied, getting up.

A few hours later, they went to bed, and as Pepper lay down on her back, Tony pulled up her sleeping shirt and touched his lips to her round belly, kissing it gently. Her hand moved to his head and the curly hair there, silk twining through her fingers. Pepper toyed with one of his soft curls, smiling sweetly at her husband, who was caressing the swell of her pregnant belly with the palm of his hand. This was baby time for them, their favorite time of the day—and their daughter’s. Just loving moments of pure bliss where they connected with their unborn child. Morgan usually told the baby stories while Tony didn’t say a word as he kept his head pillowed on Pepper’s belly or caressed it with his hands. Sometimes, however, Tony told the baby about the day he’d had, and Pepper couldn’t stop smiling. She was always smiling when she saw him interact with one of their babies.

Completely savoring the moment, Tony had his eyes closed, as he whispered, “It’s kicking again,” and sighed contentedly.

“I know... I can feel it,” Pepper said, chuckling softly. “I think our little peanut’s really excited to meet you soon.”

Tony opened his eyes, glancing up. “Can’t believe it’s almost time... You know, I love you like this.” He stilled his movements and looked where his hand was. On her belly, over silvery skin, stretched from her pregnancy. “I love seeing our child grow inside of you. It’s a miracle! I hope this won’t be our last one.”

“You really want more?”

“I told you I want five,” he said, smirking. “Don’t you love it, Pep? Being pregnant?”

“Yeah,” she admitted, “but that doesn’t mean I wanna be like this forever.” She emitted a soft laugh.

Tony planted another gentle kiss on her belly, then crawled up and lay down beside her, his face only inches away from Pepper’s. Her smile instantly grew wider. Smoothing his thumb down her cheek, he smiled back.

“I love our beautiful family.”

“Me too,” Pepper whispered against his lips right before she kissed him.

“So, are you finally gonna tell me what we’re expecting?”

“You said you didn’t wanna know,” she reminded him with a smirk.

“I wanna know now.”

“Not gonna happen, Tony.”

“Can I...” He moved his hand under her shirt, “convince you,” trailed his finger across one breast, “somehow?” and raised an eyebrow.

“I _am_ gonna have sex with you, if that’s what you want, but I’m _not_ gonna spoil the surprise.” Pepper traced her finger over Tony’s bare chest to the trail of dark hair that started at his navel, then ran her finger back up to his ribs.

“You’re a meanie,” he complained, pouting. “But if sex is all I get then I might as well have it.”

“That sounds like you’ll not enjoy it,” she quipped.

Tony wanted to be serious, but the stupid look on her face made him giggle. “I hate you,” he said, inching closer. “Just shut up and let me make love to you.”

“Love? I thought you hated me?” Pepper remarked, chuckling, and dropped a hot kiss on his mouth, kissing him passionately, while her hand slid down his body and into Tony’s pants. He gasped, then followed suit, desire taking over.

* * *

In the middle of the night, Pepper stood at Morgan’s bedside, and with gentle but insistent motions shook her awake. “Baby, wake up. I’d like you to see something.”

Disoriented, Morgan cracked open her eyes. Pepper smiled and took her by the hand, leading her into the hallway. “Where are we going, mommy?” Morgan wondered, her voice drowsy with sleep.

“Sssh,” Pepper shushed her, gently running a hand over her daughter’s head, as they went downstairs. Stopping at the end of the staircase, she asked, “Do you hear that noise?”

Morgan nodded. “What is that?”

“You know how Mommy sometimes has trouble sleeping because the baby is kicking so much?” Again, Morgan nodded. “Well, the baby was keeping me up all night so I went to the kitchen to have a little snack and I saw someone in our living room.”

“Who?” Morgan started to become more active. Eyes wide open, she shifted excitedly from foot to foot.

“You can go have a look, but you really have to quiet, because if he sees you, it might startle him and he may run away before his work here is done.”

“Who... is... _it_?” Morgan slowly but surely grew impatient.

“See for yourself,” Pepper said, nodding in the direction of the open, large double doors.

The little girl turned the corner and entered the living room. It was then that Morgan’s chin slowly dropped in surprise and her eyes widened in awe. A big man in a red coat with white fur edging at the hem, sleeve cuffs, and center front concealing the zipper stood in their living room. The black leather boot tops he wore on his feet also had fur cuffs and his wide black leather belt flashed a gold-tone metal buckle. There were cookie crumps in his white, long beard, which Morgan only noticed, because the moonlight fell onto his face, and most of his white hair was tucked under a red velvet stocking cap with a fur band and a pompom.

Morgan, wanting to squeal, quietly called for her mother, “Mama, it’s Santa! Santa is here!”

Pepper stepped forward and eased down on her haunches, wrapping one arm around her daughter. “I wanted you to see this, because I know how much you love Santa. And I wanted you to still believe in him.”

Morgan turned around and threw her arms around her mother, almost making Pepper tumble over. “Thank you, mommy!” she whispered.

“You’re welcome, sweetheart.” Pepper said, smiling, as she led her child back outside and up the stairs. “I want you to believe in things you can’t see, because if you ever feel like giving up, that's what will keep you going, honey... Your belief that there's hope. And hope isn't anything you can see, right?” Morgan nodded. “You know, one of your daddy’s greatest strengths is that he believes in things no one else believes in.”

“He does?”

“When the world told him he would never be a good father, because his own father, your grandpa, treated him so unkindly, he believed he could be a great daddy. He was so scared that people could be right and he was believing in something that wasn’t real, but he never stopped believing.”

“I don’t care what the world says,” Morgan said, as Pepper tucked her back in, “I love my daddy!”

Pepper smiled and bent down to plant a tender kiss on Morgan’s forehead. “The world just doesn’t know him like we do... Now go back to sleep, sweetie.“

“Night, mommy.” Morgan placed her small hand on Pepper’s stomach. “Goodnight, baby.”

Pepper lay her hand on top of her daughter’s, stroking the back of it with her thumb. “You will be such a great big sister. I love you.”

“Love you, too,” Morgan answered, rolling over, and closed her eyes.

Pepper stayed in Morgan’s room for a few more minutes, watching her daughter sleep. When she entered the master bedroom, Tony was already laying in bed, with his legs stretched out, resting his back against the wooden headboard.

“You know, getting up the stairs is a real challenge… Getting up from the floor already is,” Pepper mentioned, chuckling, as she crawled up onto the bed next to him. “I’m so exhausted.” She put one hand on Tony’s cheek to caress him before she let it fall down onto his chest. “But it was totally worth it. You did a good job, Santa!”

Tony smirked. “Did she buy it?”

“She was overjoyed. I could see it in her face,” Pepper said, grinning. “I’m really surprised she managed to stay so quiet.”

He laughed softly and put his hand on top of hers. His arm slid around Pepper’s shoulder and she leaned against him, breathing a sigh. “You know, I think we’re really nailing this parent thing, Pep,” Tony boasted.

Pepper chuckled. She witnessed his hand move to her belly, touching it with such gentle and care it made her body shiver, and she turned her head and looked at Tony, smiling. “I think so, too,” she replied. “My kids are so lucky to have you as their dad.”

“I’m lucky,” Tony countered. “I have the perfect life... and the perfect lil’ babies... because of you.” Cupping one hand around Pepper’s cheek, he pulled her in for a kiss. “Thank you, Miss Potts, for making every day seem like Christmas.”

Pepper giggled against his mouth before letting go. “I can’t believe how mushy you are.”

“But you like it,” he assumed, mischief flashing in his brown eyes. Pepper slowly nodded, and Tony laughed. “Well, if need be, I can be very un... mushy, too. Rough and hard.”

“I know that,” she said, laughing. “But right now, all I need is sleep. Big day tomorrow, remember?”

“I’m Santa Claus,” Tony exclaimed, “how could I forget?”

“All right, Santa Claus...” She gave him a soft kiss and crawled under the sheets. “You can go fly through the sky and deliver presents to all the children of the world in your sleigh... or Iron Man suit... Misses Claus here is going to sleep.”

“You’re funny,” Tony said, giggling like a silly schoolboy, as he slid beneath the covers. He rolled onto his side and spooned Pepper's backside with his front, his arm draped around her middle so they could hold hands.

“You’re an idiot.”

“But I’m _your_ idiot.”

Her teeth exposed in a grimace that fell somewhere between a grin and a smirk—he was, and she wouldn’t want him to be anyone else.

* * *

When Pepper opened her eyes the next morning, she was surprised to see her daughter occupying Tony’s bedside, her face so close to hers she could feel the air move when Morgan breathed. The girl’s mouth curled into a smile as she put her hands on her mother’s cheek and pecked her lips. Pepper smiled and pulled her child into her arms, showering Morgan’s face with kisses until she started giggling uncontrollably.

“Merry Christmas, little sunshine,” Pepper said, stroking her cheek. “Where’s your daddy?”

“Downstairs,” Morgan answered. “We are waiting for you, but we think you need sleep.”

“You didn’t want to wake me up?” Morgan nodded her head up and down, signaling a yes. “That’s so sweet. But you must be so excited to open your presents. I bet it was hard for you to wait.”

“Yes, so can you please come now, mommy?” She crawled out of bed and tugged gently at Pepper’s arm. “Please! Pleeeeeease!”

“Alright, alright. I’ll hurry." Pepper laughed. "I need ten minutes, okay?” Morgan replied with a squeal and rushed out of the room.

It took her mother more than ten minutes to get ready, but when Pepper finally entered the living room, Morgan didn’t even look at her, as she was busy listening to one of her father’s stories from the time when he was still saving the world as Iron Man. Sitting on Tony’s lap, she played with his hair, twisting and untwisting the strands, and tugging it gently. She looked like a monkey grooming a mate. All the while, her eyes were glued to his lips. She giggled, she laughed, and smiled, and Pepper’s heart swelled with love for her child and her husband, and the strong bond those two shared.

“Mommy’s here,” Tony said, as he spotted Pepper. “Time to unwrap those presents.”

About half an hour later, there was wrapping paper all over the living room’s floor. Pepper was sitting on the couch; Tony was sitting next to her, his head resting against her shoulder. They had decided to hand out their presents to each other later and let Morgan be the center of attention for now. Enjoying the peaceful moment for a few more minutes, they cuddled in silence, happily watching their daughter play with her new toys. Then Tony launched himself off the couch and took Pepper’s hand. She looked at him confused and he grinned, helping her up. Snapping his fingers, he tried getting his daughter to look at him.

"Because Santa got you so many presents this year, Daddy decided to give you something, too, so you won’t forget who loves you most in this world,” he explained to his child, and Morgan quickly rose to her feet and started jumping up and down with excitement. “Will you please follow me outside, principessa?”

“Tony?” Pepper whispered. “Why didn’t you tell me there’s more?”

“Because you would’ve talked me out of it,” he answered quietly.

“Oh God, what did you do?”

“Relax, honey,” Tony said with a chuckle. “You’ll love it.”

When they were all wrapped up in warm winter clothes, Tony took them to the sheds and told them to wait, as he stepped inside. Morgan’s face crinkled in a frown. “Mommy?” She looked up at Pepper, who was holding her daughter’s hand. “What did Daddy get me for Christmas?”

“I don’t know, sweetie." Pepper forced a smile on to her face. "And I’m not sure I even _want_ to know.”


	2. Love Is All Around

They heard a loud, roaring noise from inside the shed, then Tony, grunting like whatever he was doing was physically straining. “I’m sorry. Rudolph here is a lil’ stubborn,” he said, as he pushed the animal out the door.

The moment Morgan realized what was happening, she released her mother’s hand and ran towards her father with a squeal of excitement. Pepper’s jaw dropped slowly, like a cherry sliding from the summit of a melting ice cream scoop. Her eyes looked as though they were ready to pop out of their sockets. She blinked once, then twice, and then looked at her husband, trying to convey something.

“Do you need a minute to regroup?” Tony asked, chuckling.

Pepper hauled her jaw back into place. “Tony... no.“

“Honey, reindeer make good pets,” he argued. “They are gentle and friendly, and they can be trained to pull sleds or carts and give rides. Think about it... We could train them to take part in the town’s annual Christmas parade.“

With eyes wide, she stared at him. “Did you just say _them_?”

Tony hemmed and hawed as he searched for an answer. “Look...”

“Oh God!” Pepper lowered her face into her hands and shook her head.

“I know what you’re thinking—“

“How many?”

“You’re thinking we can’t possibly keep reindeer, because we don’t know anything about their training and husbandry. We need to know what we’re letting ourselves in for. We should understand what makes them happy and healthy, where’s best to keep them and all of that, but I really thought this through.”

“That would be a first,” she mumbled.

“I talked to vets, zoos and animal trainers, alright? I know how to take care of them. And I talked to other reindeer keepers and they’ve found keeping them to be one of the most enriching and life changing events.” Tony approached her and took her hands, pulling them away from her face so he could look into Pepper’s eyes. Then he continued, “I got them from Finland. They’re already domesticated. And in case it gets to warm up here in the summer, I can build them a stable with a special Stark tech cooling system. I can do this, Pepper. I’m a genius!”

“You’re a jerk!”

“That too,” he said, laughing. “But I’m also a genius.”

“They like plenty of space, Tony.”

“Oh, please... We’re on a farm the size of Manhattan. We can manage. In fact, I was told they actually like change. So I’m gonna create acre sections with various fields, runs, shelters, wild ground, rough ground and we open them up at various times to keep things new for them." He fidgeted with his hands, first one and then the other. "They’re like our daughter. They love to explore. And once an area has been shut off for a while, they can explore it all over again and it keeps them entertained and happy. And it keeps our daughter entertained and happy. I mean, look at her!”

Morgan was hugging and petting the reindeer while whispering sweet words to it, and handing it moss to eat that Tony had brought with him from inside the shed. She laughed when the animal nudged her face with its nose and tried to nibble her hair. Ruffling the area between its ears, she kissed the reindeer’s head tentatively. Tony was truly amazed at how easy his daughter handled and connected with the reindeer, because that one was definitely the most stubborn of them all.

 “How many reindeers did you buy?” Pepper repeated her question from before, not entirely sure if she even wanted to know.

“Only three.”

“Three?”

“Rudolph, Comet and Cupid.”

“And next thing you know there’ll be Dasher and Dancer... Prancer and Vixen... and Donner... and Blitzen.” Tony giggled and kissed her cheek. She groaned in return. “God, why couldn’t it _just_ be a dog?”

“Oh, you know, there’s always next Christmas,” he joked.

“Promise me you will build them a home that’s safe and fitting.” She couldn’t believe she was actually agreeing to this. But he was right. Their daughter seemed to have found instant happiness in her new companion. And she knew Morgan would care for the reindeer like she cared for all the other animals. Her love for them was endless. “I don’t want Animal Health Services to show up here and take them away.”

“I don’t want that either, Pepper. I promise I’ll take care of it, like I’ve taken care of everything else.” Tony pulled her into a hug and kissed the side of her face. “Thanks for letting me keep them.“

“I’m still not sure I should.”

“You can call ASPCA yourself, if this doesn’t work out.”

Pepper had to laugh. “I will, Tony... I can promise you that.”

He kissed her temple before pulling back. “Can I make it up to you by giving you your present now?” he suggested, grinning.

“What about her?” Pepper asked, nodding in Morgan’s direction.

“She’ll come with. She has to.”

“Why?”

“You’ll see... It’s more of a present to both of you, really.” Noticing the curious look on Pepper’s face, he smirked. “You’ll love it.”

“That’s what you said about Rudolph here, too,” she muttered. “What is it? There are no more gifts under the tree.”

“Your present doesn’t fit under the tree. It’s in the guesthouse.”

“Is it a giant stuffed bunny?”

He smirked. “Would that fit into the guesthouse?”

“Not if it’s about 15 feet tall like last time.”

“Stark Bunny is dead, Pep.” Tony raised his hands to the sky, addressing the gods. “May he rest in peace.” Then he looked back at her. “I might bring it back some time, but today’s not the day.”

“Please don’t bring it back,” Pepper mumbled.

Laughing, Tony took her hand and walked up to their daughter, telling her to bring Rudolph back inside. It took a while until the little girl had recovered from the surprise of seeing more reindeer inside, and a few more minutes until she finally said goodbye to all of them. Tony had to promise her that she would get to go back to them after lunch, and that she could play with them all day. She told him that she had always wanted a reindeer, although Tony seriously doubted that was the truth, and when he scooped her up in his arms, Morgan said he was the best daddy in the whole wide world—that he knew was true.

“I want you to close your eyes,” he told Pepper as they walked up the stairs to the guesthouse, which was just a short walking distance from the main building but still far enough to offer some privacy. “You can keep yours open, Morgan, but please don’t squeal too loud or say any names, okay?”

“Tony?” Pepper looked at him, still a little worried. “You sure it’s a good surprise? Because I know how you are with surprises and—”

“It’s the best, baby.” He gave her a reassuring smile. “Trust me.”

Seeing the worried expression on her mother’s face, Morgan giggled. “You scared, mommy?”

Tony, still holding his daughter in his arms, laughed. “I think Mommy is really scared.” He ruffled Morgan’s hair. “Should we force her inside?”

Morgan nodded. “Push her!”

“Hey, no one’s pushing me,” Pepper protested, laughing too. “I’m going, alright? You guys shut up now.”

“Close your eyes,” Tony demanded. “I’ll open the door for you.”

“Eyes closed,” she stated.

“You’ll love me so much more after this,” he said excitedly, as he let her in, and smirked. “So much more.”

Tony had built the guesthouse and Pepper had furnished it, so it was easy for her to walk blindly inside without bumping her shin into a piece of furniture. She heard her daughter make a sound as though Morgan was trying to muffle a scream, then she heard the sound of soft footfall, followed by another, this time accompanied by the slightest creak of wood. Pepper had nearly decided to open her eyes when she felt two skinny arms wrap around her body. And then a familiar scent, floral and heady, made its way to her nose. It was a smell she had taken in many times in her life; one she’d always recognize. As she was pulled into a hug, the tears came before Pepper could stop them.

“Mom?” she sobbed out, eyes still closed. Overcome with emotions, she clung to her mother, her tears flowing freely, as if she was three years old again and in desperate need of her mother’s comfort.

“Don’t cry, my darling,” her mother said softly, stroking Pepper’s hair gently, hoping to calm her down.

Pepper sobbed so hard it took a while to catch her breath. “What are you doing here?”

“Surprising my beautiful daughter for Christmas?”

“No, I mean how did you get here?” Pepper asked, sniffling. She pulled back slowly, as she tried to focus on keeping her breathing steady.

Reaching over, her mother moved a wisp of hair away from Pepper’s face and off to the side. Then she brushed her knuckles across her cheeks and smiled at her. “You’re not gonna believe this, Virginia, but the answer is... in an Iron Man suit.” She chuckled and looked over her daughter’s shoulder at her son-in-law, who was smirking at her with tears in his eyes.

“You mean...”

“When no airline would have me, your husband decided to send me one of his suits to France, because it can weather every storm. He called me yesterday, told me to get inside that thing and just let F.R.I.D.A.Y take me here. And, you know, I think I never trusted anyone that much with my life.” She smiled. “But you know the feeling, don’t you, love?”

Pepper turned around to look at her husband. “You did what?”

“I knew how sad you were to spend Christmas without your mother... I know how sad _I_ am not to have my mom with me...” Tony swallowed hard, emotions running high. “So I wanted to surprise you. And it was a great opportunity for me to test that special snow suit I developed.”

“What do you mean _test_?” Pepper’s mother exclaimed in shock. “Are you telling me I could’ve crashed?” Both Tony and Morgan had to laugh at the way her eyes widened and her eyebrow scrolled up.

“Daddy’s suits always work,” Morgan said, giggling.

“They do not, I’m afraid,” Tony noted truthfully, “but if you had asked me this, like, ten years ago, you definitely would’ve crashed,” he joked. Walking up to her, he smiled. “I wouldn’t do anything to harm you, Evie. It was completely safe.” He gave her a kiss on the cheek. “But thank you for trusting me.”

“Thank you for getting me here,” she answered with a smile. Then she took her granddaughter from Tony’s arms and cradled the girl to her chest. “How’s my baby?”

“I’m not a baby anymore.”

“I can see that,” Evelyn said, laughing. “You’re also quite heavy.”

“That’s because she eats like a horse,” Tony quipped.

Laughing, Pepper’s mother bumped him with her hip, as she went past him. “Makes you wonder where she gets that from...” She shot a smug grin over her shoulder, noticing amused that Tony wasn’t so quick on the comeback this time like he usually was. “Let’s go over to the main house so you can show me your presents,” she addressed her granddaughter, who immediately started babbling away, telling her grandmother the story of how Tony had surprised her with the reindeer.

“I just got sassed by your mother,” Tony remarked. “This is becoming a habit. I like it.” Stood in front of Pepper, his hands moved to the side of her body to hold her at her waist. “You’re so quiet... You okay?”

She nodded, smiling, and put her arms around him. “Just trying to process what happened,” she explained, her voice soft. “I can't believe you had my mom fly in a suit.”

“And I can't believe your mother agreed to that,” Tony let out, laughing. He smiled back at her and kissed her right cheek, then the other one, tasting the saltiness of her tears. “Your happiness means everything to me, Pepper. This was the least I could do.” Her bottom lip quivered and he shifted his thumb to smooth it. “Please don’t cry anymore. It’s all good now,” he murmured to her. “You get to spend this day with all the people you love. I’m glad I could make that happen for you.”

“You know you’re the person I love most in this world?” she whispered, a small sob racking her body lightly. “I love you so much.”

Tony couldn’t wipe the smile off his face, as he felt himself tearing up again. He was so moved by all the love around him. It was literally all he had ever wished for. When his mouth closed over hers the next instant, his insides turned to mush. Pepper‘s arms crept up to encircle his neck, and she clung to him, and he took her face between his strong hands and gave himself fully to both the embrace and the emotional kiss. Tony’s tears rolled down his cheek, mixing with hers as they kissed, and when their lips parted, moments later, they stared into each other’s eyes for minutes without saying a word. Leaning his forehead against hers, Tony gently traced his fingers over her features. Pepper closed her eyes, reveling in his touch.

“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered, kissing her lips once more, and her smile made his heart race. “I could stare at you forever.”

“Cheesy Tony,” she spoke.

“Lovesick Pepper,” he replied.

Pepper‘s eyelids fluttered open. “I can’t help it,” she told him, her giggling muffled by his winter coat as she let her head fall against his chest.

“Neither can I,” Tony admitted with a grin, kissing her hair.

Pepper glanced up and spoke a soft thank you against his lips before kissing him, “for bringing my mom home.”

When she screwed up her face and blew out a breath, Tony instantly worried. “What’s wrong?”

“It was just a kick.”

“Must’ve been a pretty hard one... You sure you’re okay?” Unbuttoning her coat, Tony pulled it open and slipped his hands under her wool sweater and her shirt. He splayed his fingers across her belly, never missing a chance to feel the sudden contracting of muscles beneath his hand. “Wow...” His eyes widened. “Someone’s really fidgety today.”

“Today?” Pepper held her swollen middle through the dull pain from the restless movements of their baby. “It’s been like this the entire month.” She felt the baby kick so hard she wanted to scream. He just watched her as she gritted her teeth and gasped through another wave of pain. “I think he really wants to come out.” Tony’s jaw dropped as he realized what she said. So did hers. “Oh my God, I’m sorry, Tony. You weren’t meant to know that already.“

“I–I wasn’t?”

“No, I wanted this to be your gift,” she said, angry with herself for having ruined the surprise. “I bought these special lights just for this occasion and—“

“Lights?” Tony didn’t move, still holding his hand in place, splayed across her belly. He didn’t manage to form a full sentence. He was completely overwhelmed.

Pepper released a groan; now mad at the baby for kicking her so hard she spilled the beans. “I got pink and blue ones. And I put them on our tree and then connected each string to a different outlet, so I could ask F.R.I.D.A.Y. to let the colors change... and then in the end, the tree would’ve lit up in blue and you would’ve...”

“Slow down, honey. Slow down,” he finally spoke. His hands came onto her shoulders, rubbing them in a soothing manner. “It’s okay.”

“It’s not okay, Tony,” Pepper almost yelled at him. “I ruined it.”

“You didn’t ruin anything, Pep.” He made sure not to make fun of her hormones right now, but he felt they were to blame for her outrage. And it was cute; the way she got worked up over nothing.

“This was supposed to be your gift and now I blurted it out... You know, just like that. So much for that big announcement, huh?”

“Honey...” Cupping her cheeks, he grinned at her. God, she had a pout that melted his heart, and Tony couldn’t help but to laugh softly at her expression. It was so adorable! “I love that you fucked this up.”

“Ugh, please don’t rub it in.”

“Listen to me,” he said, laughing. “I love that this pregnancy turns you into this unpredictable mess.“ His smirk grew wider. “You’re always so organized and in control... not that I mind, by the way... and this baby... It just makes you do weird things, and silly things, all the time... and it’s fun and entertaining, and our daughter and I _love_ that.”

“It’s a pretty wild ride with this little guy, isn’t it?” She grinned, remembering how different this pregnancy was from the first one, and curled her fingers around Tony's neck. “I guess he’s just like his daddy.”

“Wait ‘til he’s born...”

“He’ll drive me crazy.”

“Just like I used to do,” Tony said, chuckling.

“Used to?” Pepper arched up an eyebrow.

As they exchanged glances, they dissolved into a fit of giggles. Tony wrapped his arms around Pepper and locked her in his embrace, resting his chin on top of her hair. Pepper held him tight, her arms gently stroking up and down his back. Their laughter faded away and silence settled between them. Minutes passed, and then she heard a soft sob escaping Tony’s throat, and she was once again amazed by how much he’d grown. Dropping the persona he had worked so hard to create had been the biggest challenge of his life, she was certain of that, and if her baby boy would be anything like his father, he would make her a very, _very_ proud mother. And Pepper couldn’t wait to see that little man grow up with the greatest male role model any boy could have.


End file.
